Vehicle-spring.



M. M. MGINTYRE.

VEHICLE SPRING. APPLICATION TILED MAY 2,1906.

Patented May 2, 1911.

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Azzamavs M. M.-M0INTYRE. VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2,1906.

' 991,000, Patented May 2,1911.

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trnrrnn I MICHAEL M; MCINTYRE, BF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PERFECTION SPRING COMPANY, OF CLE ELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHIGLE-SPRING.

llatcnted May 2, Mill.

Application filed May 2, 1906. Serial No. 314,805.

will ,iitlil. Specification of Letters Patent.

To all wit/OWL it "may concern:

lie it l-znown that l. Tilicnini. Til. Bolt" ln'rvnn, a citizen of the llnited States. sidimg at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invent-i l a certain new and usct ul improvement: in hide-Springs. of which the following a tall, clear, and exact description, reterencc being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to vehicle springs, and has for its main object to provide a construction of spring which will secure ease of riding, by supporting the load upon easily yielding spring members, and at the same time furnish sutlicient. strength to ca TV the load without destroying the physical properties of the spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the normal or unloaded weight of the vehicle is sustained mainly'by one spring member and wherein another spring member is combined therewith to reinforce the i'ormer to a comparatively slight. extent when the vehicle is unloaded, and to a greater extent when it is loaded, as by passengers or otherwise, or when running over rough roads, obstructions and the like. The former spring member I will hereinafter designate as the car- 'rier spring; and the latter the passenger spring. since the former mainly carries the vehicle, and the latter assists mainly in carrying the passeng or load.

The invention further includes improved means to permit. only vertical vibrations of the tront axle of any ordinary vehicle and the rear axle of a sl'iatt-driven automobile, by means of a peculiar connection between the ends of my spring members and the supports for the same; the invention also includes a peculiar connection between the ends of the springs and their support wlicreby, in the case of chain-driven automobiles represents a diagrammatic view showing the r ative positions of the spring members before the same are connected to a vehicle; Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views illustrating the relative positions of the spring members and vehicle body with respect to a base or normal line. l ig'. l a view, partly in elevation and partly in section. illustrating the construction by which weights, shocks and vibrations sustained by the springs on one side of the vehicle may be transmitted to those on the other side thereof. Fig. is a side. elevation of a spring constructed in. accordance with my invention, showing the same with the vehicle unloaded. Fig. (3 represents a similar view showing the springs deflected to their extreme capacity. Figs. 7 and S are views, similar to views 5 and (3 respectively. of modified forms of the springs shown in the former figures.

let'crriugz to the diagrannnatie views. 0 and I represent respectively the carrier and passenger spring members. said members heing shown in Fig. l in about the positions which they occupy before being attached to the vehicle. It will be observed that the spring l is of greater normal curvature than sprint (i; that is to say, the curvature or arch of the spring I is greater than that of spring (l when neither of these springs is connected to a vehicle or SilljljQtftGd to any other action lending to alter the curvature given thereto in the ln'ocess of spring; making. In Fig. 2, the carrier spring (l is shown as attached to the outrider O and the spring P is still unattached. In this view, A B represents the bottom of the vehicle :t'rame. and E F represents any convenient base line, as the top of the axle of the ve hicle. The line 1.: represents the distance between the lower end of the outrider O and the base line E F. In Fig. 3 the end of the s no I has been brought down and attached to the vehicle and has elevated the body of the vehicle and the Foutrider the a particularly tender support for the vehicle, and its load, and the vibrations of the vehicle body within the distance I) are practically negligible, since all the vibrations are made bjetweenthe axle and the springs without moving the vehicle body. This is true no matter what may be the weightof the vehicle body, provided only that the springs are proportioned to such weight.

The principles above set forth are applied in the practical embodiments shown in the other figures. Referring to Fig. 5, C indicates the carrier spring, and P the passenger or load spring, X the axleto which the spring members are clamped by clips Y, and O the outriders' or arms by which the spring members are connected to the frame of the vehicle, indicated at V. The spring mem bers are leaf half springs, the upper terminating in long flexible ends P formed into scrolls. The end of eachseroll terminates in, an eye p which is normally carried beyond the eye 0 on the end of the. carrier spring and said eyes are connected by means of a short shackle S, the details of which will be described hereinafter.

A long shackle S connectst-he eye of the carrier spring with the outrider 0. Both ends of the spring members may be connected by the shackles S, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or only one end of each of said members may be thus connected, the other ends being connected to a lever L, the'uppe'r end of which is connected to the end of the car'- rier spring member, the lower end of which is connected to the end of the passenger spring member, said lever being pivoted intermediate of the ends thereof to the outrider, with the pivotal point nearer the point of connection of the passenger spring member therewith than is the pointof connection of the carrier spring member therewith. .The lever connection L is advantage'o'us for connecting the front ends of the frontspring members of a vehicle to an out-- rider and for connecting the front ends of the rear spring members of a shaft-driven automobile to an outrider, as the manner of pivoting the lever and of connecting the spring members thereto prevents any material horizontal movement of the axle when an obstruction is encountered by the wheel but permits free and easy vertical movement of the axle. The employment of the connection shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is particularly useful on the rear axles of vehicles having a chain drive, wherein one or more radius rods are employed to prevent rotation of the rearaxle and to keep the chain taut during thevibrations ofthe body. The radius rods, while preventing the rotation of the rear axle cause the same to be moved bodily rearwardly and forwardly duringthe vibrations of the body with the result that, without the provision of some means such as shown in Figs. 7 and S for ermitting the springs to move bodily and reely with said axle. the ends of the scroll spring member will be subjected to strains which will soon cause the breakage thereof. The provision of the shackles S and S permits both spring members to move back and forth with the axle without affecting the ends thereof.

The=form of connection which I prefer to use for both ends of the springs where a radius rod is employed is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, wherein S denotes the long or outer shackle, the lower ends of which are supported from the outrider O bymeans of a rod R extending therethrough and through said shackle ends; The upper ends bf the shackle Shave attaehed thereto the eye a of the carrier spring. The small shackle S by means of which the passenger spring is attached to the carrier spring and vehicle is preferably pivoted to thepin 8, said pin extending through the upper ends of the shackle S and through the eye 0. This shackle S is sufficiently shorter than the shackle S to enable the lower ends thereof, with the attached eye 72, to swing clear of the lower end of the outrider 0. To prevent the shackle S from capsizing on rebound of the ,vehicle after striking an obstacle or when there is any tendency to separate'the axle and body of the vehicle, the ends of the spring member P will be held down against such separation. An effective means of se-' curing this result is byextending the upper ends of the side links of the shackle S beyond the upper ends of the shackle S and the eye a and by providing the upper end of. each side link with an inwardly projecting boss 3. These bosses project inwardly, as indicated in Figs.'5 to 8, that is toward thecenter of the springs. and will engage the upper leaf 0 of the carrier spring 0, thereby preventing the shackle S from capsizing' when the ends P of the passenger spring member are brought down and connected thereto, and permitting the spring 1 to ex.- ereise its lifting effect on the vehicle body and at the same time be held in the most eflicient position for responding to additional weight, shocks, or vibrations which may be transmitted thereto.

As will appear from Figs. 5 and-7, when I the vehicle is unloaded, the lower end of the shackle S is outside of a line extending vertically from the eye in the endof the out rider. Under extreme load, the parts reach the positions shown in ,Figs. 6 and 8, that is to say, the lower spring C straightens and lengthens, forcing the top of the shackle S outwardly. As the upper spring P. straightens, the eye' on the end of the scroll moves inwardly, causing the little shackle S-to swing inwardly, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The proportions of parts should be such that, under full deflection, the lower end of the little shackle S should not extend inwardly beyond a line joining the eye of the large shackle with the eye of the outrider, the three eyes being in a substantially vertical line. This arrangement of parts secures the best coiiperation between the spring lllQlIlbQlS, the scroll spring thus relieving the semi-elliptic spring proportionally to the load carried or the stock sustained.

1n the case of the left hand or front ends of the springs in Figs. 5 and 6, the relative positions of the ends ofthe spring members C and P, both with reference to each other and to the outrider, at and before deflection, are the same as is the case with the right hand or rear ends of said spring members. Before deflection, the lower end of the scroll P is outside of the eye of the outrider, and under extreme load it is substantially in a vertical line extending through the eye of the spring C and the eye of the out-rider.

lVith the sprin s bent and proportioned as shown herein it will be apparent that, when the end of spring member 1 is brought. down and connected to shackle S, the cor responding end of spring incn'iber G being disconnected from shackle S the two spring members will be under reverse tension, the end of spring member C being lifted above normal position by sprin mem ber P and the end of spring member P being depressed below normal position by spring member C. When connected. to the unloaded vehicle frame, said members are no longer under reverse tension, as the ends of both are depressed by the weight of the frame.

By the construction herein shown and described, the vehicle is carr ed from the ends of flexible spring members whose lengths are such and whose strength is so proportioned to the load which they bear as to produce a slow, easy movementof the vehicle body under shocks, while the immncr of connecting the same to the body permits them to respond to shocks and vibrations without subjecting the tender ends of the springs to undue stress and without transmitting the shocks or excessive vibrations of the axle to the vehicle body.

lVith both forms of springs: I employ equalizing rods, shown in detail in Fig. l. in this figure theequalizing rod it is shown as applied to the shackle construction, al though, as indicated in Figs. :7 and (3, it is also applied to the levers L. The lower ends of the shackles S are pinned or otherwise rigidly connected to the rod R, as indicated at 9 whereby any movement of the upper end of the shackle S will rotate said rod. This rod is connected to a corresponding" outrider and shackle on the opposite side of the vehicle. Similar rods may be members being: so shaped connected in a similar manner to the opposite ends of the same sprin members, four such rods being usually employed with the two sets of springs usually found on vchicles. It will be evident that these rods will serve to transmit the load from one side of. the vehicle to the other and. by their con nection with the pivots of the shackles S or levers L will transmit shocks from a spring on one side of the vehicle to a spring on the other side of the vehicle, thereby distributin the strains between two sets of springs instead of leaving those on one side to receive and resist the same alone. At the same time they prevent in a large measure side deflection of the vehicle body.

By the construction herein described, both spring members automatically and at all times support their relative proportions of the vehicle bothwith and without load. While I have shown the lower spring member as the one which carri the major portion of the vehicle the spring" members may be reversed in position. 1

\l'hile l have neces arily described my invention in detail. it will be obvious that I such details may be ll'l()(llllC(l or departed from more or less. without avoiding the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not propo.-ic to be. limited to such details except; as the same may be included hereto annexei'l.

I claim 1. The combination, with i1 vehicle frame and axle, of a spring comprisingan upper and a lower sprin member connect d to gethcr at their body portions and to said axle and having their ends connected to the vehicle frame, one of said spring members being of less strength and of greater normal curvature than the other wlurchy when said members are connected to the vehicle frame, the weaker member is under greater dolled tion but sustains a relatively small ]Jl'()] t')l'- ition oi the weight of the unloaded vehicle,

and the other member being" of greater strength and being; so shaped and proportioned as to sustain the greater propmrtion of the weight of the unloaded vehicle, substantially as specified, i

'lhe coinl'iination. with a vehicle frame and axle of a pair oil vehicle spring: mcm bcrs ccnncctcd together at their 'body porlions and to the axle. one of said spring mcaubruc beimr of less strength than the cthcr and having a long flexible scroll end flexibly connected to the ,end of the other member and both of said incinlierr'e having; their ends connected to the vehicle frame, both of said members sustaining); jointly the weight of the unloaded vehicle. the said and protuu'tioncd that the member having the scroll end is of greater normal curvature. sustainsa smaller piopoltion of the weight of the unloaded in the claims lll5 vehicle, and is under greater deflection than the other member. substantially as specified.

3. A compoundspring for vehicles comprising an upper and a lower leaf spring member connected together at their body portions, one of said members having a scroll end extending partly around the corresponding end of the other member, the member having the scroll end being relatively weaker than the other member and said members being so shaped and proportioned that, when connected to the unloaded vehicle, the member having the scroll end is under greater deflection and sustains a relatively smaller proportion of the weight of the unloaded vchicle than the other member while the latter member is under less deflection and sustains a greater proportion of the weight of the unloaded vehicle than the former member, substantially as specified.

4 The combination, with the frame and axle of a vehicle, of a compound spring clamped to said axle, said spring comprising a pair of spring members the upper whereof has a scroll end extending around the adjacent end of the lower member, a flexible con.- neetion between said ends permitting free -movement of the scroll end inwardly, or toward the center of the spring, but limiting the movement of the same outwardly, a connection between the end of the lower spring member and the vehicle, and means for connecting the other ends of the spring members to the vehicle, said spring members being so shaped and proportioned that, when connected to the unloaded vehicle, the upper member sustains a relatively small proportion of the weight of such vehicle and is under less tension than the lower spring member, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the body of a vehicle, of a spring comprising two leaf spring members clamped together at their body portions, and a leverpivotally sup- F ported intermediate of its ends from the vehicle, an end of one of said spring members being connected to one end of said lever and an end of the other of said members being connected to the other end of said lever, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the axle and outrider of a vehicle, of a spring comprising two leaf spring members clamped together about the middle and to the vehicle axle, and a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends to the vehicle outrider, an'end of one of said spring members being connected to one end of said lever and an end of the other of said members being connected to the other end of said lever, substantially as specified,

7. The combination, with an axle and an outrider of a vehicle, of a spring comprising two leaf spring members clamped together and to said axle, one of said spring members having a scroll end extending below an end means permitting the free movement the;

of the other member, a lever pivoted inter-, mediate o'l its ends to said outrider and having its lower end connected to the end of the scroll and its upper end connected to the end of the other spring member, substantially as specified.v v

8. The combination, with an axle and an ontrider of a vehicle, of a spring comprising two leaf spring members clamped together and to said axle,-the upper spring member having a scroll end extending below an end of the lower member, and a lever pivoted intermediate of its ends to said ontrider and having its upper end connected to the end of the lower spring member and its lower end connected to the end of the upper spring member, substantialb as specified. 9. The combination. with an axle and an outridcr of a vehicle, of a spring comprising a pair of leaf spring members connected together and to said axle. one of said members having a scroll end projecting below the end of the other member, and a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said ontrider and having its upper portion connected to the end of one of said spring members and its lower portion connected to the endvof the other spring member, the distance between the fulcrum of said lever and the end of the upper spring member being less than the distance between said tt'ulermn. and the end of the lower spring member, substantially as I specified.

it). The combination, with an axle and an,-

outrider of a vchie c, of a spring comprising a pair of leaf spring members connected together and to said axle, the upper of said members having a scroll end projecting belowthe end of the lower member, and a lever pivotedintermediate its ends to said outrider and having its upper'portion connected to the end of the lower-spring member and its lower portion connected. to the end of the upper spring member, the distance between the fulcrum of said. lever and the end of the upper springmember being less than the distance between said fulcrum and the end of the lower spring member, sub stantially as specified. 3

11. The combination, with the a xle and. frame of a vehicle, of a pair ofspring mema hers connected' to said axle, and meansffor flexibly connecting adjacent ends of said,

members together and to the frame, said, means permitting the free movement of both i of said ends inwardly but limiting the outward movement of one of said endspsub-i stantially as specified.

12. The combination, with the frame and axle of a vehicle, 0f a spring com rising a axle, one of said members having a scroll pair of spring members connecte to said end, and means for flexibly connecting" the ends of said members to the frame,,said' ends of both members inwardly but limiting the outward movement of the member having the scroll end, substantially as specified.

13. The combination, with an axle and outrider of a. vehicle, of a spring comprising two leaf spring members connected together and to said axle, one of said members terminating in a scroll extendingbeyond and below the end of the other spring member, means for flexibly connecting the ends of said members to the oul'rider, and means for maintaining the ends of said spring members substantially the same relative distance from -the end of the outridcr, substantially as specified.

14. The combination, with an axle and outrider of a vehicle, of a pair of leaf spring members connected together and to said axle, one of said members having a scroll end extending beyond and below the end of the other member, a swinging connection between the end of each spring member and the outrider, and means for limiting the movement of the end of the scroll, substan tially as specified. i

15. The combination with the frame and axle of a vehicle, of a pair of leaf spring members connected to said axle, one of said members having a scroll end extending partly around the end of the other member, and means for flexibly connecting adjacent ends of said members together and to the frame, said means permitting the free inward movement of the scroll end, but limiting the outward movement thereof, substantially as specified.

16. The combination, with an axle and outrider of a vehicle, of a pair of leaf spring members connected to said axle, one of said members having a scroll end extending beyond and below the end of the other, a link or shackle connecting the end of the latt spring member to the outrider, and a link or shackle connecting the end of the scroll with the former link or shackle, means being provided for limiting the rotation of the latter link or shackle in one direction, snbstantially as specified.

17. The combination, with an axle and outrider of a vehicle, of a pair oi leaf spring members connected to said axle, one ol said members having a scroll end extending beyond and below the end of the other, a link. r shackle connecting the end of the latter spring member to the outrider, and a link or shackle connecting the end of the scroll with the former link or shackle, the latter link or shackle being provided with means for engaging-the end portion of the other spring to liniitmotation of the latter link or shackle, substantially as specified.

18. The combination, with an axle andan outrider of a vehicle, of a spring comprising an upper and a lower spring member connected together and to said axle, the upper spring member lniving a scroll end extending around the end of the lower member and be low the same, a link or xhackle connecting the end of the lower member to the outridcr, a link or shackle connecting She end of the upper member with the former link or shackle, said members being so proportioned that the end of the upper spring member is normally outside of a line connecting the pivotal pi'iints of the former link or shackle, and means for preventing the end of the upper spring member from passing above the end of the lower spring nienil'ier, substantially as specified} 1 The combination, with an ax e and an outridcr of a vehicle, of a spring comprising an upper and a lower spring member connected together and to said axle, the upper spring member having a scroll end extend-v ing around the end of the lower member and below the same, a link or shackle connecting the end of the lower member to the outrider, a link or shackle connecting the end of the upper member with the former link or shackle, and means for preventing the end of the upper spring member from fHlSSlllg above the end otthe lower spring member, substantially as :o,

20, The combination, with an axle and an taitrider of a vehicle, of a spring com 'irising an upper and a lower spring niemoer connected together and to said axle, the upper siring member having a scroll end extend- 'ing beyond and below the end of the upper spring member, a link or shackle connecting the end of the lower spring member with the outrider, and a link or shackle connecting the end of the upper spring member with the upper portion of the former link or shackle, the latter link or shackle having a boss adapted to engage the end portion of the lower spring member to prevent rotation of said shacl-zlc beyond a pre-detcrmined degree in one directioi'i, substantially as spcciiic il.

21. The conmina'tion, with a pair of springs loatcd on opposite sides of :1 ve hicle body, each of said springs comprising two members one of which terminates in a scroll. an oulrider at each side of said vehiclc, a rod extending across said vehicle and pivoted in said ontriders, and a lever rigidly secured intermediate of its ends to said rod adjacent ea h ontrider, the opposite ends of said lever being connected with the ends of the spring members, substantially as spccilieo.

The combination, with a pair of,

springs located on opposite sides of a re hicle body, an outrider on each side of said body, a spring on. each side of said vehicle, each spring comprising a pair of members connected together and to the axle, a rod extending across said vehicle and pivotally sup 'iorted by said ontriders, a link or shackle rigid with said rod on each side oi -said vehicle and having its other end connected with one of said spring members, and a flexible connection between the ends of each pair of spring members, substantially as specified.

23. The combination, with a pair of springs located on opposite sides of a vehicle body, each spring comprising a pair of spring members connected together and to the axle, one of said members having a scroll end extending beyond and below the end of the other spring member, a flexible connection between the ends of each pair of spring members, an outrider on each side of said vehicle, a rod extending across said vehicle and pivotally supported by said outriders, and a link or shackle adjacent each out-rider having one end pivotally secured to the other spring member and the other end rigidly connected to the rod, substantially as specified. I

2%. The combination, with a vehicle body, of a spring comprising a pair of superposed spring members, one of which terminates in a scroll end partly surrounding the end of the other, and links connecting said ends with the vehicle and arranged to prevent the end of the scroll from passing beyond the end of the other memberto the reverse side thereof, substantially as specified.

25. Thecombination, with a vehicle body and axle, of a pair of spring members connected together at their body portions and to said axle, the upper spring member having a scroll end extending around the adjacent end of the lower spring member, means for flexibly connecting said ends, said means;

permitting free movement of the scroll end in one direction but limiting the movement of said end in another direction, and means for connecting the ends of the spring to the vehiclebody, substantially as specified.

26. The combination, with a pair of springs located on opposite sides of a vehicle body and each comprising two members, of a support carried by said vehicle, a rod carried by said support and extending across said vehicle, alever rigidly secured;v

intermediate of its ends to said rod adjacent to each side of the vehicle body, the opposite ends of said lever being connected With the ends of the spring .m-embers, substantially I as specified.

27. The combination, With a vehicle, frame and axle, of a spring comprising an upper and a lower spring member connected to a gether at their body portions and to the axle,

the upper spring member having a flexible scroll end extending beyond the correspondlng end of the lower spring member, and a lever connected to the adjacent ends of the spring members and supported by said frame at a point intermediate of the points of con nection of the said spring ends therewith, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my ALBERT H. BATES, FRANKLIN E. TERRILL. 

